


Valentine's Day Series

by ffeater



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-14
Updated: 2013-02-14
Packaged: 2017-11-29 05:45:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/683525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ffeater/pseuds/ffeater
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short pieces inspired by Valentine's Day in Storybrooke, to be added every couple of hours on Valentine's Day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wine Run

Emma grabbed the car keys from the table near the front door.

            “What are you doing?”

She froze with her hand on the doorknob.

“Going to get more wine.”

“And I assume you’re bringing my car keys along for bonding time.”

Groaning, Emma threw her head back in exasperation, her arms limp by her sides like a child throwing a tantrum, Regina half-thought she might start stomping her feet until she got her way.

“My car is still at the Sheriff’s station.”

The last of their first bottle was in Regina’s glass which she sipped as she leant back against the couch, legs crossed. A bar patron at The Rabbit Hole, filled with drunken regret and bolstered by the loneliness of a solitary Valentine’s day had caused a public disturbance that ruined their dinner plans but Regina had settled (with a bit of encouragement) for a late bouquet of flowers and Emma’s apology. The bottle of red on hand had not been nearly full enough.

“Lucky for you the Sheriff’s station is on the way.”

“A four minute drive that you want to make a fifteen minute walk, in the cold, at night. On Valentine’s day.”

            Regina took another sip, “You’ve been drinking.”

“I had one glass of wine and to tell you the truth, I’m a whiskey girl so that’s nothing. Plus I’m not going to give myself a sobriety check so there’s nothing to worry about.”

            These were all valid points but not, at all, what Regina was concerned with.

“You can arrest yourself all night, you’re not driving my car.”

            “Regina.”

“No.”

            This wasn’t the first time the car thing had come up. The Black 560 SL Mercedes Benz had made Emma drool long before she’d met the woman who owned it. It was the exact kind of car she would have boosted if that were a thing she still did and Regina’s absolute objection to her getting anywhere near the driver’s seat just made her want to more. She thought it might have been a good time to slip in an attempt. Emma pouted.

            “Pout as much as you want, and while you’re pouting put my car keys down.”

“Come on. It’s Valentine’s Day.”

            “Which means?”

“You have to be nice to me.”

            Regina chuckled and stood up, straightening out her skirt as she went.

“That’s not how it works.”

            Neither of them were much of an authority on the subject, Regina came from a world that made Valentine’s day look ridiculous and for as long as Emma could remember she tended to mock the tradition. This year she was trying something different and by the way Regina was smirking she thought she might be getting a lesson.

            “How does it work?”

            Setting her glass down on the side table she took the front of Emma’s jacket in her hands as if adjusting it, she’d had more of the wine. Emma backed up against the door and Regina kissed her. It was a long kiss, what Emma thought must have been a Valentine’s kiss though she had nothing to compare it to. The slow kind of kiss that takes a glass of wine and a missed dinner and a haphazard bouquet of roses to get to and even then you were lucky for one a year. Regina pulled a few inches away and took the keys out of Emma’s hand.

            “Still isn’t happening.”


	2. Literary Suspense and the Scratch Reflex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous Request: Red Beauty - Belle discovers that she can calm an angry Ruby down by scratching behind her ears.

“You really don’t have to do this.”

            Belle smiled and unloaded a few of her books from her bag.

“I might not know much about Valentine’s Day but from what I’ve read you’re supposed to spend it with someone you care about.”

“I don’t think those books considered the possibility of you caring about a werewolf.”

            Maine in February was nowhere near warm but spring was beginning to gnaw at the edges of the season and a few extra layers kept her warm enough. Ruby was dressed in street clothes, the wolf metabolism made her into a portable space heater the closer it got to the full-moon which was, unfortunately, tonight. Belle was equipped with a thermos of coffee and another of soup, several blankets and a military grade lantern. Anyone else might be frightened of spending a night in the woods but there was little out there more dangerous than her werewolf girlfriend, and as such she felt pretty secure. Her main concern had been finding a light bright enough to read by but she’d found something suitable. They’d found a log comfortable enough to set up a small make shift camp around and Belle sat on it with her books. Ruby prowled back behind her, draping her arms over her shoulders and setting her chin on her head.

            “What’d you bring?”

“Lovecraft, Wells, Jules Verne.”

            “Mysterious Island?”

Belle looked up at her, “Of course, thought I’d pick up where we left off last time.”

            The sun had mostly set and Belle could tell by how tense Ruby was that it wouldn’t be long till she turned.

            “Do you remember it?”

“Yes, but when I come back they’re still wolf memories if that makes any sense. So sometimes it’s hard to understand all of it.”

            “Then where are we in the story?”

“Hmmmm, pirate ship.”

            “Lucky guess.”

Ruby nuzzled against Belle’s neck just as the sky cleared into moonlight.

            “Okay, I’ll be back in just a bit.”

            Behind her Belle felt Ruby change, the feeling of shoulders hovering near back disappeared and she could hear the cadence of her breathing change, lower and quicken. Almost immediately Ruby was off into the woods, she liked to start her nights with a run. Belle had spent time with Ruby when she’d been changed; she liked to keep her company and had learned how to adjust her sleeping schedule as to not get tired until late. That meant sleeping through most of what people considered proper Valentine’s Day but she didn’t mind. She could hear Ruby out in the woods in the form of cracked twigs and howls; she didn’t want to pick The Mysterious Island back up until Ruby returned. It didn’t take her long for her to come sauntering back out from the woods, her shaggy head low against the light of the lantern. Panting, she came up to where Belle was sitting and laid her head on the log beside her. For the sake of comfort and a more reliable light source Belle slid down to her blanket on the ground, using the log as a headrest she cracked the book open on her leg.

            Curled up beside her against the log Ruby made an attentive audience, she couldn’t tell how much was being understood but it was definite that when she got to the part where Harbert was shot that she was distressed. Her shoulders fidgeted and she held a continuous low growl baring her teeth in the light of the lantern.

            Her first reaction was to set her hand on Ruby’s head, a gesture met with enthusiasm from Ruby who nosed her palm. She scratched the small patch of fur at the back of Ruby’s ear and all distress ceased immediately and she all but went limp beside her and Belle laughed.

            “I wonder if that’ll work when you turn back.”


	3. Kids Cards for Adults

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teacher's get all the best Valentine's Day stuff.

Mary-Margaret couldn’t open the front door properly because her hands were full, she had spent about three minutes readjusting her pile to she could spare three fingers for the doorknob and had to back up into the door to get it open. As soon as she did she bumped into Emma and it was all for nothing, the large collection of Valentine’s provided to her by her class were scattered all over the floor. Emma ducked down immediately to help pick them up.

            “I’m so sorry, I heard you at the door and thought maybe you’d forgotten your key.”

            “It’s fine Emma.”

            By the time they’d gotten them all gathered up and on the table Emma could see just how huge the stack was and it wasn’t just of the small paper Valentine’s but giant Hershey’s kisses that said best teacher, a few best teacher Valentine’s day mugs and she could even see a few homemade cards festooned with lollipops and tootsie rolls.

            “Wow, this is extensive.”

Mary-Margaret moved to put her bag down on one of the chairs.

            “Yeah, they go a little overboard. Sometimes it’s the students but most of the time it’s the parents, room-moms that kind of thing.”

            “Still…”

“Oh, you’re welcome to anything, no way I’m getting through this much candy.”

            Emma hesitated in picking up some chocolate, which immediately implied that something was off, Mary-Margaret looked up from her bag.

            “What’s wrong?”

“Uh, nothing, I just feel really dumb.”

            “Because you bumped into me? Really, its fine I should have been-“

“No, not that its just.”

            Emma looked to the right of the huge pile on the table, there laid a single red envelope of the general type. Mary-Margaret looked between it and her.

            “It’s pretty dumb, you know they have those cards that kids can get their parents, which is silly right? Who celebrates Valentine’s Day with their parents.”

            Not knowing what to expect but happy all the same Mary-Margaret slipped her hand beneath the seal and popped it open. The card was pretty goofy, as were all the cards themed for children, but the first word on it was ‘Mom.’

            “But then I’ve never really _had_ parents on Valentine’s Day so I just thought of it as making up for lost time.”

            Mary-Margaret didn’t say anything.

“I know it’s pretty dumb but-“

            “It’s not dumb.”

A tear or two hit the inside of the card and Emma’s eyes widened.

            “No, no no no no, don’t cry.”

She crossed the room in three strides and put her hands on her mother’s shoulders, she was smiling.

            “Don’t cry.”

Mary-Margaret sniffled and nodded to try and stem the flow of tears.

            “But I didn’t get you anything.”

Emma gestured to the pile of Valentine’s behind them, “The chocolate of dozens of children is a great Valentine’s gift.”

            “But this is so-“

“Really, you don’t have to get me anything.”

Smiling she picked up one of the giant Hershey’s kisses and started in on the box like a little kid.


	4. Second Opinion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma gives Ruby some friendly advice.

“Hey.”

            Ruby slammed her laptop shut with a loud crack in what was probably not the least suspicious way of hiding whatever it was she’d been looking at.

            Emma’s eyes were wide, “Wow, okay.”

“Sorry, sorry, I thought you were Granny.”

            “No, though I’m sure that wouldn’t have tricked her either.”

Emma slid into the chair opposite Ruby at one of the booths.

            “Oh, no I was just…”

She tried to keep a bright smile on but it faltered when she couldn’t come up with a viable excuse, “Okay, I’m looking stuff up on my break.”

            “Uh-huh, stuff you shouldn’t be looking up? That’s pretty bold of-“

Ruby’s eyes bulged.

“No, I mean not, not anything like that just-”

            Now she was tripping over her words, giving up she sank her head down on top of her laptop and mumbled something.

            “What was that?”

“Valentine’s Day presents.”

            “Oh!”

Considering all of the implications Ruby jerked her had back up.

            “No, not, Gods Emma you’re…”

The fact that she was blushing that much was kind of endearing.

            “I’m what? An adult, there’s nothing wrong with sexy Valentine’s Day gifts. That’s actually kind of the point, what are you looking at?”

Ruby hid her face in her hands making the miscalculation of leaving her laptop unguarded. In one smooth movement Emma grabbed it, twirled it around on the table and opened it up.

            “Emma! Don’t-“

“Damn.”

            “Please don’t-“

“Wow, were you gonna get the red one?”

            Ruby’s head was back on the table, her hands clasped over the back of her head, she nodded against the table.

            “Or the black.”

It came out muffled.

            “These will look great on you.”

Ruby peeked up through her hair.

            “You think?”

“Definitely.”

            “Which one?”

“I know red’s your thing but I like the garter belts on the black one.”

            “That’s why I was thinking the black.”

“Do the heels come with it?”

            “No, but I have heels.”

“Red heels would look good with the black.”

            “You think?”

“Get the black.”


	5. Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle visits Game of Thorns to buy flowers for her Valentine and runs into her father.

As far as Belle was concerned there weren’t enough flower places in town but even if there had been she probably still would have gone to her father’s. It was something she’d been putting off for a long time, confronting him, and while she had held no hopes for a tearful reunion she thought just being on speaking terms with him again might ease the pressure on her conscience. Plus, she needed flowers.

The bell tinkled as she entered the shop, which was already pretty full. It had probably been a bad idea to wait until Valentine’s Day but she’d walked past the store at least four times that week and hadn’t worked up the nerve to go in. She hadn’t spoken with her father since he tried to send her across the town line and now realized trying to do this when he was busy might not have been the best idea. It would either cause her to be disappointed in the results or for him to have a serious overreaction.

“Belle?”

Looked like an overreaction.

Moe quickly shifted his current customer over to one of his employees so ha could make his way to the front of the store. Her father looked like he didn’t know whether or not to hug her or grab her hands, both of which she was having none of. Instead he just shuffled awkwardly for a second and then said, “It’s nice to see you, Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“You too.”

“Uh, can I help you with anything? Flowers?”

She held back the quip about being in a flower shop and nodded, “Yes.”

“Oh.”

She watched her father deal with the implications of the fact that she was buying flowers for someone and following it the realization the it was probably Rumplestiltskin, he was wrong but she couldn’t figure a subtle way to bring that up.

            “Would’ve thought he would buy you flowers.”

“I’m not with Rumplestiltskin anymore, we’re taking a uh…a break.”

            Moe’s eyes lit up in a way that made her kind of angry, she remembered why they were estranged. Why was it that all the men in her life had a drive to control her decisions?

            “Must be quite a break if you’re buying flowers for someone else on Valentine’s Day.”

            Apparently the fact that she was no longer tainted by Rumplestiltskin made it okay to touch her, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her towards the back of the shop, an area loaded with half-gathered flowers and the mixing smells of earth and perfume.

            “Tell me, what does he like?”

“She.”

            “Oh, well…”

She wasn’t going to explain herself any further and he had no right to ask her to, after a second or two of silence he had made his decision, “That’s, that’s great Belle, what does she like?”

            “I’m not entirely sure, but I like roses so I was thinking something with that.”

“Well, we have plenty of those.”

            “She likes red.”

“I think I have the thing.”

Moe had left her side to go about gathering handfuls of flowers; he tore apart a premade bouquet of roses for the red ones along with a few others she didn’t know the names of.  He finished it with some small white flowers for variation and handed the whole thing to her.

            “How’s that?”

She appreciated how hard he was trying.

            “Perfect.”

Belle pulled a hand to her pocket to dig for the money she’d bought but her father put his hands up immediately.

            “Those are on me, take them.”

“I couldn’t-“

            “You’ll have to, I won’t take any money.”

She nodded and smiled.

            “Thank you.”

Turning to leave he stopped her, “I really hope your sweetheart likes them.”

“Her names Ruby.”

            “The girl from the Diner?”

“Yep.”

            “Wow.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.”


	6. 15%

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina doesn't do Valentine's Day, even if Ruby wished she would.

“Are you waiting for anyone else?”

            The intention had not been to imply that she should have been but by the way Regina looked at her she could tell that’s how she’d taken it.

            “No.”

“Right, well, can I get you anything?”

            The Diner was mostly filled with couples getting lunch and so Regina sitting alone, or sitting there at all being that she was her was strange. Ruby had waited around as long as was professionally polite to go over and talk to her. They had both agreed not to see one another on Valentine’s Day, or Regina told her not to even think about it so her being there at all was a surprise.

            “Just a coffee, please.”

“Coming right up.”

            She didn’t really know what it was she was supposed to say, pretending that they didn’t really know one another seemed to be Regina’s default but it didn’t really suit her. To try and avoid confrontation she switched the table over to one of the other waitresses and tried to limit the glances over to Regina, who was checking her phone and drinking coffee, to the absolute minimum. She was relieved when she saw Regina turn off her phone and get up to leave hoping that would be the end of it.

            “Hey Ruby?”

The waitress she’d switched places with approached the counter and she felt dread thinking that perhaps Regina hadn’t paid or something equally terrible. Instead the waitress placed a sizeable heart-shaped chocolate box on the counter.

            “Someone left this in one of the booths, it has your name on it.”


	7. "You're AMAZING, Valentine."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry gets help picking out his Valentines.

“Henry! What are you doing here?”

            Henry grinned up from the shelves in the Valentine’s section of the pharmacy, he liked Belle; the library being opened had been one of his favorite things since Emma came to town. He’d taken advantage of it nearly daily, visiting and checking out books at Belle’s recommendation.

            “Hey Belle, my mom’s next door so I wanted to buy some Valentines.”

He had been trying to choose between the Spiderman and Avengers ones but the dilemma had stalled him for the past five minutes. Belle had a small basket filled with things Henry couldn’t see from his angle.

            “Your mom as in…?”

“Regina.”

            “Right.”

Belle moved to stand beside him and examined his choices.

            “Oo, that’s tough. Does Spiderman have any Venom ones?”

She grabbed one of the rectangular cardboard boxes from the shelf and flipped it over to look at the variety of paper Valentine’s. Spending time together in the library had worked both ways; Henry had been especially interested in the boxes of comics that she’d dug out of the library basement. They’d spent a whole afternoon spreading them out on the ground and reading through them as Henry tried to explain different super powers.

            “No, just Green Goblin.”

“Sort of a dealbreaker.”

            “Yeah, and a few of the Avenger’s ones have Spiderman but he’s sort of in the background.”

            “What else do the Avenger’s ones have?”

“Thor. Ironman, you know.”

            Henry shrugged.

Belle screwed her mouth up as she looked between the two of them.

            “Okay, how about this, you get the Avenger’s ones and I get the Spiderman ones?”

            “You don’t have to.”

“I want to, I’ll hand them out at the library.”

            “Henry!”

Whatever Regina had been doing next door she had apparently finished, Belle tucked the Spiderman Valentine’s into her basket.

            “Come by later, I’ll save a Doc Oc one for you.”


End file.
